earlybird: Glad you liked the ending of that post especially. I threw that bit about Dooku in there almost on a whim.

Jade_eyes: I think Obi-Wan's respect has a limit; when it's reached, it means Qui-Gon has gone a little too far. I'd say that the palace is indeed a good place to start, and it might get this pair back in touch with Kirk.

Okay, back to Tholme and Quin!

"Has this part of city always been like this?" Quin asked as he, Tholme, and Fryd passed a series of shops hawking various types of liquor, or wares that very well might have been stolen.

"Dis part, yeah," Fryd said. "But it dinna used to be dis bad. Folks find themselves in trouble, they run 'ere to hide. People like me."

"What do you mean?" Quin asked.

"I used to be one of them," Fryd said, his language changing. "I used to be a teacher, but there were some that I spoke out against. Before I knew it, there were slanderous rumors getting passed around, rumors that ultimately cost me everything except my life." He snorted. "My friends deserted me, my wife left me, and those who had power took everything I had. I fled, joining the outcasts down here. And I've watched as things have steadily become worse. This is what the Federation officials should see, but aren't allowed to."

"I wish that there was something that we could do," Quin said.

"Make them see what goes on down here," Fryd said. "Make them realize that they're supporting a government that shouldn?t be supported."

"No, we didn't, Master," Quin said. "Master Qui-Gon would tell me that the Living Force directed us here."

"But not necessarily for this reason, my young Padawan," Tholme said.

"We still can offer some help, can't we?" Quin asked.

"Perhaps," Tholme said. "We'll see what we can do to help you, but we aren't miracle workers. And we do have a larger goal. We really need to know if anyone has recently arrived in the area that seems?out of place."

earlybird: Glad you liked the update, and as for Valentina, there's more to come, believe me.

Jade_eyes: Sometimes it is the lower classes that must rise up for change to take place.

Sorry that it's been so long since I posted, but I've been dealing with a few real-life things.

"Jim, tell me you're joking," McCoy said as he and Kirk stood before a huge container of trash. "You're not really going to go digging in there, are you?"

"Sometimes it's a dirty job," Kirk said. "But if the ambassdor's here, there's going to something in the trash to hint at it. After all, there are some things an Andorian just has to have."

"And you think that the planet's police forces don't know this?"

"Then we'll just have to hope we beat them to the ambassador's location, won?t we?"

"You know that if wishes were horses, Jim, we'd all be cowboys," McCoy said.

"And if memory serves, Bones, cowboys sometimes did dirty jobs. Besides," Jim said with a grin, the sooner we get started, the sooner we'll be done."

"I'm already beginning to regret indulging you," McCoy said. "Or maybe I should have insisted we stay aboard the ship, and let a security detail accompany the Jedi."

"But where's the fun in that?" Kirk said. "Here, we get to have our feet on the ground, which should make you happy."

"I'd be happier if I hadn't had my molecules scrambled. Besides?" The doctor's next words, whatever they might have been, were cut off by the captain's hand.

"Bones, look to the window, about five stories up."

"Jim, whatever you're seeing, I'm not?" He trailed off, as the sound of glass shattering filled the air. A moment later, a thud sounded from the dumpster.

"Bones, give me a boost," Kirk said, and the doctor, shaking his head, and sighing, cupped his hands for his friend. Jim placed his foot on McCoy's hands, and pulled himself to the lip of the trash receptacle. "Bones, I think we're in the right place. But it looks like something's gone horribly wrong."

"Since I can't see, would you mind telling me why, Jim?"

"Because that thump was the body of a Vulcan landing in the receptacle. I think it's one of the ambassador's aides."

"If local security found the ambassador, wouldn't they just arrest him?"

"Only if they haven't been given orders to shoot on sight," Kirk said, dropping back to the ground and brushing his hands on the sides of his shirt. "We'd better get up there."
"I say we contact the Jedi," McCoy said.

"You're right," Kirk said. "They'll give us more numbers, if nothing else." He reached for his communicator. "Kirk to Master Jinn."

That's all for now. I'm hoping that with a day off this week, I'll be able to get some writing done and get a post up some time next weekend.

Hi, just found your story last night. Its hard to find a good crossover story with SW and ST, especially featuring Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon. I like that your ST is the new movie cast..great idea! I'm enjoying this story very much and look forward to your next update.

Jade_eyes: Yes, there is certainly something to be said for strength in numbers.

obi-wan: Glad you liked it.

obimom: Welcome! Glad you stumbled across this and are enjoying it. I had previously done a NJO-era crossover with the TNG crew, and thought long and hard about when to set a story involving the original characters. I'd considered a Clone Wars era story, but then thought it would be more fun to put the two mavericks (Kirk and Qui-Gon) together in one story.

Sabriel: Glad to hear you're enjoying this tale, and I hope you'll continue to do so.

Okay, here comes the next post!

The small communicator Kirk had given Qui-Gon chirped. "Excuse me," Qui-Gon said, stepping past one of the Vegan citizens and into a darkened alley. He flipped open the communicator. "This is Qui-Gon Jinn."

"Master Jinn, we have a problem," Kirk's voice issued from the device's small speaker. "I think the planetary forces found the ambassador before we did."

"And yet actions are always colored by such things," Qui-Gon said. "It is only when we learn to see beyond our limits that we can obtain a true vision."

"I think that's the sort of thinking that we'll be needing around here pretty quick," McCoy's voice came in, softer, since Kirk was obviously the one with the communicator at their end. "He's dead, Jim."

"Where are you?" Qui-Gon asked, fearing that McCoy might have been referring to the ambassador. "Obi-Wan and I will be there as soon as we can."

"You might want to try and contact Master Tholme as well," Kirk said. "I have this feeling that we might be needing all the help that we can get."

"If what I've seen of the police on this world is true for the larger whole, I'm inclined to agree with you. Have you thought about contacting your ship for help?"

"I ordered Spock to maintain radio silence unless he heard from the ambassador, or detected an approaching vehicle. Oh, and he can also react if he's fired upon, not that I really expect him to."

"There's still some chance that we can resolve this without further violence," Qui-Gon said. "I'll bring Obi-Wan and contact Tholme and Quinlan. Where are you?" Kirk gave him a set of coordinates, which Qui-Gon committed to at least short memory. "Until then, Captain, I'd suggest getting out of sight. You won?t do us much good sitting in a Vegan jail." Qui-Gon flipped the communicator shut, and then hooked it to his belt. He was half-tempted to reach for his lightsaber, to use for distraction if nothing else, but the time wasn't right.

"What is it, Master?" Obi-Wan asked.

"It seems that Captain Kirk has succeeded where we could not. Unfortunately, he has managed to encounter further trouble. Much as you and Quinlan seem to do from time to time."

"Master, we don't go looking for trouble. It just seems to find us."

"Trouble often seems to find Jedi," Qui-Gon replied. "It seems to be a professional hazard. But the captain and doctor need our help, and we've a good distance to go. Why don?t you contact Master Tholme, and have him bring Quin to this location," Qui-Gon said, giving Obi-Wan the coordinates Kirk had given him. "I'll see to our transport."

"Can you try to keep us on the ground, Master?" Obi-Wan asked, a slight plea coloring his tone.

"I'll see what I can do, Padawan," Qui-Gon said. "One of these days, though, we're going to have to do something about this discomfort with flying."

"Master, flying is for pilots and droids, not Jedi."

"I wouldn't say that are Master Tiin if I were you, Obi-Wan."

***

I'll be posting more as soon as I get it written, though with the holidays, that could be a bit...

Love it. Another thing I always wanted to see was Spocks reaction to meeting humans who think as logically (or almost as logically) as he does, or have Bones say something to Qui-Gon or Obi-Wan like : Are you sure you're not part Vulcan?" or something..tee hee...always thought that would be funny.

anyway, great chapter, can't wait to see what happens next. Can't wait to see the Jedi in action..and Kirk and company's reaction to it..

Jade_eyes: Nothing against Vulcan diplomats, but I'd say that when there's a Dark Sider manipulating things, who better than a Jedi Master to sort things out?

obimom: I haven't given Spock a lot of time with the Jedi, but there's likely to be a scene coming between Spock and one of the Jedi before all is said and done.

earlybird: Actually, the flying bit was something that I just threw in for a lark, so I'm glad you liked it!

Okay, here comes the next post.

While Kirk contacted the Jedi, McCoy had climbed up into the dumpster into which the Vulcan had fallen. Given the depression the body had created when it landed, McCoy didn't have much hope. That, and the fact that the Vulcan wasn't moving. "C'mon, you pointy-eared bastard," he muttered as he moved across the shifting pile of trash, "move." The Vulcan, however, didn't seem inclined to perform according to the good doctor's wishes.

"Damn," McCoy breathed, and then coughed as the stench of the rotting garbage really hit him. He scrambled across the refuse, and leapt from the garbage. "I'm going to need a shower and a change of clothes."

"That's the kind of vision we'll be needing." He turned his attention to the captain. "He's dead, Jim. And it gets worse. That is definitely one of the ambassador's aides." Kirk finished the conversation with Qui-Gon, then turned his attention to McCoy.

"In other words, security likely has their hands on the ambassador, or else the ambassador's holed up somewhere, this guy having given his life as a diversion." Kirk shook his head. "This just keeps getting better and better."

"I take it that means you're not going to just go strolling in the front door?" McCoy asked, although he was almost afraid to ask, not wanting to guess what Kirk's response would be.

"No, I think I'll wait for the Jedi. If nothing else, they can keep the hotel's employees busy while I try and figure out where the ambassador's hidden himself."

"Look, Jim, I know you're some kind of genius, but you can't expect that the hotel's computer systems are just going to give you the information."

"I can try," Kirk said. "Besides, I leaned a few things from Gaila."

"From who?" McCoy asked.

"A girl I met in those last few days before Nero made his presence known by destroying Vulcan," Kirk said, a smile tugging at his lips. "She also reintroduced me to her then-roommate."

"Don't tell me," McCoy said. "Her roommate walked in, and caught you both out of uniform."

"I guess you could say that," Kirk said. "And as I recall, this wasn't the first time she walked in on Gaila." He sighed. "So, until the Jedi get here, what shall we do? Get something to eat?"

"Jim, I just climbed out of a trash dump," McCoy said. "You think any self-respecting waiter's going to have anything to do with me?"

"That would seem to be a problem?"

"And it's your fault."

"My fault? You climbed in there on your own."

"I somehow expected I was going to have to anyways."

"Well, there's the answer. You did it on your own."

"You've spent too much time with Spock," McCoy said. "You're starting to argue like a Vulcan."

Looks like a busy week ahead of me, so I'm not sure how much time I'll have to write. And then with the holidays approaching, my time might constrict further. But I'll try and crank out at least one more post in 2010.

"You think that the time might be close at hand?" Tholme asked Qui-Gon as the Jedi made their way across the capital.

"I think that we're as likely to find the source of the trouble at the center of this mess," Qui-Gon said. "Whether we can convince them to abandon the Dark Side remains to be seen."

"Yoda would say that once you start down the Dark Path, it will remain forever upon you," Obi-Wan said. "You cannot drink from that well, and not be tainted by it."

"Padawan, can you say that you yourself have never played a trick on another?" Tholme asked. "You've never pulled a single prank, or used the Force in a manner to lighten the mood?" Qin smirked, and it was obvious that he'd gotten this lecture, or one similar to it, from his master on more than one occasion.

"Only in degree," Tholme said. "And while I'm not saying that every innocent prank means one is condemned to walk in darkness, we must all take care to keep in mind that we all have some darkness within. We must be ever vigilant, lest that one small prank lead to something greater, something that we cannot rightly justify."

"And who is to say when we have crossed the line from innocence into darkness?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Only you can know for certain, for only you can know your own heart," Tholme said.

"But if we're the only ones who can say, then can't we also assume that if we put out feet on the path to the Dark Side, that we'll attempt to justify it somehow?"

"But you'll know, when you look inward, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon said. "Let's say, for example, that Quin leaves a credchit lying out, and you hide it, intending to reveal to him the location at some later time. Is that an action borne from the Dark Side?"

"No," Obi-Wan said, "because I'd intend to give it back."

"Now, let's say that you hide the credchit, intending to reveal it, and you then spend the chit. What about your action now?

"Now it's selfish, and I would say borne of the Dark Side. But I could argue that he deserved to lose it if he was going to be so careless."

"But in your heart, you'd still know it was wrong," Qui-Gon said. "And try as you might, you wouldn't be able to convince another that your actions were suitable for a Jedi. At that point, you might realize that you'd commited a Dark act."

"And if I didn't?"

"Then I would suggest that you heed Master Yoda's warning," Qui-Gon said. "Left here, Tholme," he directed, and the groundcar that he'd borrowed pulled to a stop outside the hotel. "Now we'll just have to find the captain and doctor."

Jade_eyes: It just seemed that this moment of quiet before the Jedi arrive to engage our Dark Sider was the perfect time to get a little philosophical. Glad you liked it.

earlybird: I thought it interesting, given the relationship between Quin and Obi-Wan is, to a degree, based on their differences. It also gives Tholme and Qui-Gon a chance to teach.

obimom: Interesting point you make about this being about all of us. Does that mean that we all have a little Jedi in us?

Sabriel: Glad to see you back here. Hope you're ready to hang on for the rest of the ride.

Okay, here comes the next post!

In the chaos following the falling body, people streamed from the hotel. Some were hysterical; they'd never seen a suicide, and weren't prepared to. Others were in shock. The rest just wanted to get out of the place as the police stormed the hotel, determined to find out just what had taken place. Kirk and McCoy found themselves fighting a tidal wave of Vegans who weren't exactly in the most cooperative of moods. "Jim, this is crazy," McCoy shouted, his voice barely audible over the din.

"Bones, we don?t have a choice. Until the Jedi get here, we're the only ones between the police and the ambassador. I don?t think I have to tell you what will happen if they get to him before we do."

"Jim, it's not as if they're going to summarily execute the ambassador. He's got diplomatic immunity."

"Which obviously didn't mean a damned thing," Kirk shot back. "The ambassador wouldn't have run to hide unless he felt threatened. As long as he expected protection under diplomatic courtesy, he wouldn't have felt that way."

"I suppose you've got a point there. So how do we find him if he doesn't want to be found?"

"Simple," Kirk said. "I give them something else to chase, and you find the ambassador while the police are focused on me."

"Jim," McCoy said, "listen to me. What you're talking about, well, it's crazy. I'm talking crazier than sneaking you aboard the Enterprise. Crazier than you and Spock beaming aboard the Narada with no idea what you'd be facing. You're talking about taking on an entire city's police force."

"I'm talking about doing it for a reason, just as there was a reason behind the acts you just mentioned. Besides, didn't everything turn out all right in the end?"

"Jim, listen to me for a change. You were the one who called in the Jedi. Wouldn't it make sense to wait for them to arrive, rather than just rashly rushing in where angels fear to tread?"

"Fine, Bones. You wait for them. I'm going to give the ambassador a little time to get moving before they arrive."

McCoy shook his head, realizing that he wasn't going to win this argument. "I'll wait for the Jedi. But once you've got the police chasing you, my suggestion?as your doctor?is to find somewhere that you can lay low. I can't repair the mortal damage you seem determined to inflict upon yourself."

"Bones, I'll be fine," Kirk reassured his friend. "You just make sure that you find the Jedi. I think we'll be needing their help to defuse this situation."

"One of these days, Jim, you're going to stick your head into a mess that you can't get out of."

"And you'll be there to pull me out of it," Kirk said, slapping Bones on the shoulder. "We'd best get moving."